Schools are likely to offer virtual classes, instead of opening on April 6 as scheduled, as the novel coronavirus continues to spread. The Education Ministry said last week it was mulling online classes to help schools meet the statutory yearly school days as the spring semester, which normally begins in early March, has already been postponed three times due to COVID-19. “We are considering both offline and online classes to prepare against possible community and classroom transmissio

Hwang Cheol-kyu, president of the International Association of Prosecutors, graces the cover of the latest issue of Prosecutor, a Russian quarterly magazine. The magazine also features a detailed interview with Hwang, who was elected last year as head of the IAP. Hwang had worked as chief prosecutor at the Busan High Prosecutors’ Office and vice president of the IAP before taking the helm of the international body of prosecutors. “Our association should provide a more direct and

Some Protestant churches in South Korea pressed ahead with their worship services Sunday despite the government's pleas for stricter social distancing. As part of the government's drive for further social distancing, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun earlier warned "stern" legal action would be taken against churches that violate quarantine guidelines that include keeping the distance between followers at least 2 meters while attending services and checking congregants' temperature. Amo

All overseas arrivals to South Korea -- Korean nationals and foreigners alike -- will be subject to a mandatory two-week quarantine starting Wednesday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun announced Sunday, amid growing concerns about imported coronavirus infections.   　 Those with no residence in Korea will be quarantined at government-designated facilities at their own expense, he added. The fee is estimated to be around 100,000 won ($82.50) a day.   　 “The government has strengthe

Just last month when South Korea was enduring an explosion of novel coronavirus infections prior to many other areas, it seemed as though the entire world was shutting its door to the country. The Foreign Ministry and its overseas missions at that time were busy dialing up their counterparts and asking them to keep the door open to arrivals from the country.   　 But lately, as Korea has seemingly managed to flatten the COVID-19 curve in a manner that many countries now hope to duplicate,

Returning students feel safer at home, but are aware of hostility against them

South Korea will enforce a two-week mandatory coronavirus quarantine for all entrants from overseas starting Wednesday, Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said Sunday, amid a steady inflow of virus cases from abroad. All entrants to the country, regardless of their nationality, should stay in quarantine, the prime minister said. Visitors without local addresses here should stay in government-designated facilities at their own expense, he said. "The government has strengthened quarantine measu

A British national who tested positive for the new coronavirus here may face penalties for not observing quarantine rules. The resident of Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, got tested for COVID-19 on the afternoon of March 23, five days after he returned from a trip to Thailand. Although he was required to self-isolate until the results were out, he traveled to another city by bike that evening and the next morning he visited an indoor golf range. He was notified of his positive test results that af

South Korean lawmakers are pushing to revise the law in a way that punishes those entering online chat rooms to view illegal videos of sex acts amid public outrage over an online sexual blackmail ring. Rep. Park Kwang-on of the ruling Democratic Party said Sunday he is proposing a revision to the acts on information protection and sexual violence as the chief author to punish those who join online chat rooms to view sexual acts carried out under coercion. Under the revision proposal, all thos

South Korea reported 105 new cases of the coronavirus Sunday, bringing the nation's total to 9,583, but the number of fully recovered cases rose more than twice as fast as new infections to top 5,000 in total, officials said. Of the new cases, 41 involved entrants from overseas -- 23 from Europe, 14 from the Americas and four from unidentified Asian countries, according to the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). Imported cases total 412, accounting for 4.3 percent of the t

More than half of people who have been infected with novel coronavirus in South Korea have recovered, figures released by the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed Saturday. As of midnight Saturday, the country’s accumulated number of COVID-19 patients stood at 9,478 -- 4,811 of whom had fully recovered, with 4,523 still sick and 144 dead. The recovery rate was 50.8 percent and fatality rate 1.52 percent. “Now, there are more people who have recovered than are s

Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun urged young people to join the country’s fight against the novel coronavirus by avoiding social gatherings, saying individual efforts are as essential as government measures. “For the youth, especially, it is essential that people stay away from places like clubs,” Chung said during the daily virus response meeting. He also directed related agencies to keep a close tab on how clubs and other entertainment businesses were enforcing vi

South Korea reported 147 new cases of the novel coronavirus on Saturday, bringing the total to 9,478. Daegu, the southern city hardest by the virus, accounted for nearly half of the new cases with 71, while 24 were identified during the infection screening process of international arrivals. Gyeonggi Province counted 18 new cases, followed by capital Seoul with 18 and Incheon 5. The number of people discharged from hospital after full recoveries exceeded those receiving treatment Saturday

Seoul, the South Korean capital, will join the global lights-out campaign Earth Hour in turning off its lights for an hour Saturday, the municipal government said. Seoul landmarks including Lotte World Tower, N Seoul Tower, the 63 Building and bridges over the Han River will go dark from 8:30 p.m., according to the Seoul Metropolitan Government. But the lights in Seoul City Hall, where the city's situation room is dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, will remain on, it added. Launched by th

A park in southeastern Seoul, famous for its picturesque cherry blossom trees, will close until mid-April as part of precautionary measures to contain the new coronavirus. Seokchon Lake Park in Songpa Ward will close from Saturday to April 12, according to a Facebook post written by ward chief Park Sung-soo. The ward will open four gates to the park from 5 a.m. to 9 a.m. every day for residents who pass through the park for their commute, according to the post. The closure comes in line